Thursday, October 19, 2017

Biking Comfort

Back pain and injuries are the most common health complaint among cyclists. At Dr. Kent Carlomagno’s Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, our philosophy is to focus on prevention, so we want all our cyclists to know how they can reduce their chances of strains and misalignments.

It is of crucial importance for the bike to be fitted to the rider. The handlebars shouldn’t be too low and they shouldn’t be so far forward that the rider has to stretch out to reach them. However, back pain is common even among professional cyclists who don’t have any problem getting their bikes fitted. This is usually due to lack of core strength. As cyclists become tired, their spinal posture gets worse, putting extra strain on their lower backs and necks.

Regular core strengthening exercises are an important means of reducing back pain. It is also important for the rider to be flexible, particularly in the hamstring area. Other changes will be more specific to the rider’s style; for example, Bigger tires n wheels are better shock absorbers but less desirable for racing. If possible, it is a good idea to change postures frequently while riding and to not sit for too long at work or home, either.